War of the Realms: Spider-Man
(Story) | Editor-in-Chief = C.B. Cebulski | CoverArtist1 = Ken Lashley | CoverArtist2 = Brian Reber | Production1_1 = Alan Fine | CCO = Joe Quesada | President1_1 = Dan Buckley | Quotation = Spider-Man, what is going on? | Speaker = Ro Bloodroot | StoryTitle1 = Why We Fight: Part 1 of 3 | Writer1_1 = Sean Ryan | Penciler1_1 = Nico Leon | Inker1_1 = Nico Leon | Colourist1_1 = Carlos Lopez | Letterer1_1 = Joe Caramagna | Editor1_1 = Nick Lowe | Editor1_2 = Kathleen Wisneski | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * ** ** ** ** ** Antagonists: * War Angels ** ** Numerous unnamed others * ** ** ** * Dark Elves Other Characters: * * * * * Zik * Numerous unnamed Lagosians * Big Bird Races and Species: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Locations: * Ten Realms ** *** **** ***** **** ***** ****** *** **** ***** ****** ** ** ** ** ** *** **** * Items: * and * Unidentified metal arm prosthesis | Synopsis1 = Driving a jeep past a herd of elephants that have been set on fire, Spider-Man tries to familiarize himself with the members of the League of Realms -- Ro Bloodroot the Vanir, Screwbeard the Dwarf, Sir Ivory Honeyshot the Light Elf, Ud the Troll, and Titanya Vaetilda Vinnsuvius the Mountain Giant. Asked by Honeyshot what the plan is, Spider-Man responds that they'll use Ro's stealth spell to infiltrate Lagos and rescue the civilians being held hostage, but beyond that it's a work-in-progress, causing Screwbeard to wonder why Thor put Spider-Man in charge. In a flashback, Spider-Man wonders why Thor wants him to lead the League of Realms, Thor responding that given that the War of the Realms is occurring on Midgard the inter-realm team of warriors needs an inhabitant of Midgard to lead them, and that Spider-Man is the best choice. Spider-Man protests that while he can hold his own in a fight he's not a warrior, Thor responding that his aversion to killing makes him the perfect choice. In the present, Spider-Man splits the team into groups of two, to the annoyance of Ud and Screwbeard - who are in favor of charging in and slaughtering the Angels. Spider-Man vetoes this, saying that their priorities are saving civilians and finding the commander of the Angels, Fernande. In a church, Fernande sits on the alter and holds her face, remembering protesting Heven's involvement in the War of the Realms and volunteering to lead Heven's army in place of her comrade Anemone, lamenting that it's not fair. Her melancholic brooding is interrupted when an Angel soldier bursts into the church and informs her of the League of Realms' arrival. Fernande instructs the soldier to have her troops pretend that nothing is amiss, then attack the intruders and tear out their hearts as soon as they let their guard down. In Lagos, Spider-Man and Ro note that something is amiss, realizing that the latter's stealth spell was counteracted by dark elf magic. As the Angels attack, Spider-Man floors the jeep's gas - the League of Realms leaping into battle and ignoring his protests. As Spider-Man stands back-to-back with Honeyshot and fires a barrage of impact webbing, the light elf notes that Spider-Man isn't killing any of the Angels. When Spider-Man says he's trying not to, Screwbeard furiously holds him at gunpoint and accuses him of being a traitor and double-agent. Spider-Man protests that he just doesn't kill people; Screwbeard demanding to know what he's even doing there, and Ud slamming him to the ground and telling him to stay out of their way. Screwbeard blindly fires a volley of grenades, ignoring Spider-Man shouting at him to stop as there might be civilians in the surrounding houses; Spider-Man staring in horror as an apartment complex is almost struck by a stray grenade. Furiously snapping that the League of Realms are a bunch of idiots and ordering them to stay out of his way, Spider-Man leaps into action. Smashing through the window, Spider-Man encounters a family who informs him that the Angels took many of them hostage and that Fernande is in a nearby church. Wondering why he didn't think of that, Spider-Man tells the family they need to get out of the battlezone. As bloodstained feathers rain from the sky, Fernande bitterly laments the senseless carnage, wondering how many of her comrades have to die for Malekith's conquest. Spider-Man arrives and greets her, saying that he's here to stop the fighting. Furiously demanding to know how he thinks he can stop the bloodshed, Fernande lunges at Spider-Man and grabs his head, slamming him into the wall; snapping that she was born and bred to be the ultimate soldier in service to the Queen of Heven, conditioned to revel in combat and bloodshed. As Fernande conjures a sword and prepares to impale him, Spider-Man commiserates with her hellish upbringing, his empathy catching her off-guard. Spider-Man asks if she doesn't wish that she could stop fighting, saying that he does all the time; and Fernande bemusedly asks him how, Spider-Man replying that the first step would be to help him up. Standing on the top of the church alongside Spider-Man, Fernande orders her troops to stand down, catching both the Angels and the League of Realms off-guard. Ro asks Spider-Man what is going on, Spider-Man responding that he's using diplomacy to win; Ud grumbling that he doesn't like that. In Nairobi, Malekith interrogates the Queen of Heven as to why one of her most-loyal soldiers would betray her. The Queen of Heven responds that she will personally hunt Fernande down, discover the reasons for her treachery, and make her suffer for it; but Malekith vetoes this, saying he has other plans for her. When the Queen protests, Malekith shuts her down and says that he is leaving Kurse to assist her. | Solicit = WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN! • In order to win the War of the Realms, we need a LEAGUE OF REALMS! • Thor once led this team with one representive from each fantastical realm, but the League has a NEW leader and representative of Midgard- SPIDER-MAN! • Spider-Man must Frodo-Up and lead this ragtag group of SCREWBEARD THE DWARF, UD THE TROLL, RO BLOODROOT THE WIZARD, SIR IVORY HONEYSHOT THE LIGHT ELF and TITANYA THE MOUNTAIN GIANT! But who will represent ASGARD?! • And, as Spidey is a terrible leader, could this team possibly achieve ANYTHING?! | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }} Category:Digital Comic Code included